ABC News 7 in Los Angeles is reporting that a passenger aboard Atlantis’ gay cruise through the Caribbean fell overboard earlier this morning.

An ABC7 photographer aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise charter said passengers were awakened Friday morning by an emergency announcement, saying a man was believed to have fallen overboard.

The captain of the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas (believed to be the largest luxury cruise ship in the world) said all rescue attempts are being made, but the passenger’s identity or current state and location are unknown. An emergency assembly was called so passengers could be counted.

The incident happened after the ship made a stop in as the ship was approaching Cozumel, Mexico. GayCities/Queerty editorial director Chris Bull is on the cruise with Swish Edition podcaster Scott Wallis, who has provided the following report:

As of 3:30pm, no additional information has been shared with the passengers about the missing person. It was confirmed by the captain that the man did indeed go overboard, based on reviewing security-camera footage. From the information we have, we believe it happened at about 6:45am.

The ship was on it’s way to Cozumel, but docking was delayed while the search continued. At about 11:00am, the captain informed passengers that the search was handed over to the Mexican officials, although Allure of the Seas personal were still a part of the effort.

We docked at about 11am EST and we are scheduled to sail at 8:00pm EST. We are at sea all day tomorrow and arrive to Ft. Lauderdale early Sunday morning.

We hope the passenger is found safe and sound, and will revisit the story as more information becomes available.

I am on the ship. The article is incorrect as to the timing. We were APPROACHING Cozumel this morning from
Coasta Maya yesterday. The announcements started happening around 6:45 AM Eastern Standard Time Friday, February 3rd. We were scheduled to dock in Cozumel at 8 AM EST.

We are still in Cozumel and do not leave until 7:30 EST.

Feb 3, 2012 at 3:46 pm · @Reply ·

CJ

No explanation as to how or why he fell off? At 6:45am he was either up very late… or got up early.

Feb 3, 2012 at 4:27 pm · @Reply ·

Oh, ok.

You can’t just fall overboard on a cruise, you either have to climb/jump over the railing, or be thrown/pushed over.

So either a drunk person sent himself over, or some drunk “friends” did. There’s no way I’d buy anything else.

Feb 3, 2012 at 4:42 pm · @Reply ·

DavyJones

@Satirical Biddy: That’s in pretty bad taste, considering the likely fate of the guy who fell…

Or perhaps it was just a token sacrifice to Poseidon for good weather, don’t all cruise ships do that?

Maybe it was Jesus and he decided to walk home.

Feb 3, 2012 at 6:00 pm · @Reply ·

Hyhybt

I don’t think there’s even such a thing as a gay ship.

(Then again, if they have an orientation at all then they must be lesbians, as they’re traditionally called “she.”)

Feb 3, 2012 at 6:05 pm · @Reply ·

averageguy40

No where does it say it’s a “gay ship”. It’s a gay cruise. Some people should not try to be snarky.

Feb 3, 2012 at 7:25 pm · @Reply ·

Red Meat

So now everything is happening on cruises, the media is so pathetic.

Feb 3, 2012 at 7:46 pm · @Reply ·

CBRad

Maybe one of the drag queens got jealous of another one (because he wanted to be the only big star on the ship) and ran at him intending to push him off (like Barbara Stanwyck would do) and the inended victim stepped out of the way just in time…etc….

Feb 3, 2012 at 10:17 pm · @Reply ·

not another party ship

Well(D)at least(R)he died(U)doing what(G)he likes(S)to do.

Feb 3, 2012 at 10:51 pm · @Reply ·

kendoll

…and now, more news on the hunky gay doctor in arizona…..

Feb 4, 2012 at 12:04 am · @Reply ·

Chris

First Atlantis cruise = last Atlantis cruise.
Disappointing and pretty obnoxious passengers did it in for me. I was shocked to hear that the Caribbean cruise I went on was considered to be “tame” compared to previous Atlantis cruises. Lotsa older men prancing around wearing speedos/age inappropriate Abercrombie graphic tees…trying to recapture their youth (who SHOULD be old enough to know better)….not a good sign when, the first night you are there, you witness a 70 year old + man stumbling towards you when you get out of the elevator and he has crapped himself because he took some type of drug…and it was all over the floor…Feel bad for the poor staff who had to subjected to “crap” such as this… Stereotypes everywhere. To be fair, I am not sure that I am a “cruise person”, let alone a “gay cruise person”, but I found the parties in the evening to be depressingly/numbingly too circuit partyish. And just little things that IRKED me…such as, converting the sports bar into a video lounge that played only “GLEE” episodes round the clock…REALLY????? Lots of the guys seemed to never leave the ship (how pathetic is that?). They just hole themselves up for the week and party. Just not what I was hopng for but unfortunately, got in the end.

Feb 4, 2012 at 12:30 am · @Reply ·

Daez

@Chris: As a veteran cruiser on Royal Caribbean. I can honestly say that the cruise line itself is awesome. I’ve never done, nor wanted to do a gay cruise simply for the reasons that you have stated. Also, the fact that an Atlantis cruise is three times what the cruise normally costs was just a complete turn off. Royal Caribbean is gay friendly enough on their regular cruises that there is no reason to surround yourself with a bunch of people that represent the worst of what the community has to offer.

Feb 4, 2012 at 4:35 am · @Reply ·

Mike UK

the guy who “fell, jumped, pushed” or whatever was British, they’re reporting it on the BBC.

Feb 4, 2012 at 6:56 am · @Reply ·

Richard L

She probably fumbled her geritol or Viagra bottle and was trying to catch it wearing her sailor suit and slipped…

Feb 4, 2012 at 9:01 am · @Reply ·

John

I just got off of The Allure with Atlantis. It is interesting to see how much different rumor has spread about this incident. I have done a fair bit of journalism over the years and I will add what I know, but be sure that I have NOT substantiated any of this. It just seems much more right anything I have read anywhere. Of what I heard on the ship this seems most true: The day of the incident I had lunch next to the man who reported the fall. I understand that only one person reported the fall and I know this was the name of guy because he was called to guest services shortly after the incident. He did not SEE the man fall overboard. He was smoking on his balcony early morning and he heard a splash. The smoking fellow was, I believe, on 14 and the man jumped from 11. He heard the splash and looked down and saw a man floating face up in the water. He then reported the incident immediately. The entire ship was then mustered to confirm that someone was missing and this took about 75 minutes. I then later heard from a person I know on staff that ship cameras show the man taking a “dive” off of his balcony. This fellow may have been distraught from something that happened on board or he may have had a grand suicide plan that began when he booked the cruise. We will never know unless the rumor about a suicide note are true. It is very sad, but the allure of The Allure may attract people with such delusions. Again, I cannot completely substantiate any of this, but it is what I learned on board. It was an especially sad day for the ships crew. The Captain’s voice seemed to be shaking during his announcements about the incident, and a crew person who assisted in our muster area teared up when he heard confirmation of the man overboard.

Feb 5, 2012 at 11:52 am · @Reply ·

John

6th Atlantis Cruise = 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th…
I just posted a comment with information about the death on Allure, but after re-reading some of the previous entries I have a bit more to write. My husband and I are in our early 50’s and have been together going on 20 years. This is our 6th Atlantis cruise, and past ones have been in Asia, from New Zealand to Australia, and to Western Mexico as well as the Caribbean. We travel often and have stayed in everything from $10 huts in Southeast Asia to the best hotels in the world’s great cities. We have also taken other cruises on the “high end” lines like Silver Seas. But as gay men, after all these travel experiences the best we have had are the weeks we have spent on Atlantis. The environment is so positive and we have met many good friends on these cruises. We have also observed the old men wearing tight speedos, but also actually had the pleasure of meeting and talking with some. It might occur to others that some of these gentleman had worn these “outfits” years ago and were simply reveling in bygone fun in a huge and safe environment – the decades of their youth were not very safe for them. We spoke to one who laughed that he could still get the swimsuit on. Others seeing this display might bring in their own considerable prejudices and see something sad and inappropriate. They might be irked that seeing such behavior spoils their view. Also, as one writer puts it, does this ship and its passengers represent the worst of our community? Really? Most the people we have met on Atlantis cruises have been well established in career and overachievers. We met one older man this week, and after a lunch conversation exchanged cards only to realize he was a renowned international artist. Another was a legendary figure from decades in television producing. This is our typical experience with the younger and older people that we meet on Atlantis. Many are having a week of fun away from successful positions. And, yes, Royal Caribbean is gay-friendly on all its cruises, but their normal cruise compared to an Atlantis (or RSVP) is complete apples and oranges. I know because the ships crew always tell me this. They tell us that their week with a gay cruise is like vacation, with by far the most courteous and, of course, their best tipping guests. Sure I see the crazy parties, especially on the Caribbean cruises, and some of the mess that comes with it. But this is a small part of the Atlantis cruise environment on its many sailings around the world. A person’s travel experience is going to be shaped by their own internal view of others, as well as themselves. I actually find people on gay cruises to be having a blast while those on regular cruises seem strangely grumpy. But then again, that might be a prejudice I bring to bear…

Feb 5, 2012 at 1:53 pm · @Reply ·

dave

We were on the ship and I would add that the diversity of the passengers by age, race, nationality, profession, physical condition, handicaps andonand on was one of the best things about it. If you think this is the worst of gay life all I can say is you Ned to get, out more – it was exceptional.

Feb 6, 2012 at 8:33 pm · @Reply ·

Brad

@Chris: OH did poor Chris have to see someone dressed inappropriately? I am sure you are a total fashion maven . You sound like you have caught the intolerance bug. You are better off at your snooty cocktail parties where your kind can’t think of anything else to talk about but what they do. Stay home where you are always perfect.

Feb 7, 2012 at 10:03 am · @Reply ·

Brad

@Daez: How can you say that when you have never been on one? I have been on dozens of Atlantis cruises. I have also been on a few higher end straight cruises. On one there were a few of us gathered in one end of the pool and the mothers actually called there children out of the pool! If that is the kind of treatment you enjoy have at it. The rest of us “worse the community have to offer” are better off without you.